This past Sunday was one of those moments I wish I could have shared with my dad. He would have loved it. “Will you cling to the feet of the old rugged cross—or walk by Calvary?” That piercing question from my dad’s 1960s song echoed as I preached through Hebrews 10:32–39. This message is a call to endure, to hold fast, to not shrink back but to live by faith.
Back in the late 1960s, my dad, Dave Garrett, wrote a song called Walk by Calvary. Not long after, Christian musician Gene Cotton (pictured on the album here) recorded it on his Power to Be album. That song has lived tucked away on a vinyl LP in my home for decades, and recently my son, Jonathan (also a musician), digitized it so we could hear it afresh. Three generations connected by one song that points to one Savior. A beautiful heritage for which I’m deeply thankful.
The message of the song is so thoughtful:
- Many people look at the cross and dismiss it—“too simple,” they say.
- Others scoff, denying that Jesus was the Son of God.
- Still others pause to glance at Him but move on, unchanged.
And then comes the piercing question:
“Will you cling to the feet of the old rugged cross, or walk by Calvary?”
That line echoed in my heart as I preached through Hebrews 10:32–39. This passage is a call to endure, to hold fast, to not shrink back but to live by faith. It’s as if the author of Hebrews is asking us the same thing my dad wrote in his song: Will you cling—or will you pass by?
On Sunday, our worship leader Galen Sarno and the team introduced Walk by Calvary in our service for the very first time. To hear my dad’s song sung in worship—woven into the very text I was preaching—was a moment I’ll carry with me for a long time. And I want to share it with you.
🎶 Listen to the song – I’ve posted Walk by Calvary on my podcast and YouTube channel.
🎙️ Hear my dad’s teaching – You can also listen to one of his messages from the ABC’s of Grace series through Psalm 119.
📖 Dig into the Word – My sermon, Hebrews 10:32–39 || Those Who Are Faithful, is also available now. I’d love for you to listen in and be encouraged to cling to the cross with fresh endurance.
Would you like the lyrics to “Walk by Calvary”? Download Here ⬇️
God’s Word is alive. His Spirit is at work. And sometimes, through the gift of a song written long ago, He reminds us again of the most important question of all:
Will you cling to the feet of the old rugged cross—or walk by Calvary?
💬 Your Turn
I’d love to hear your thoughts after you listen. Does the song stir anything in your own walk of faith? What helps you cling to the cross when life gets hard? Share a comment or send me a note. I’d be honored to hear your story.
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